The Price of Love and Betrayal

Chapter 1 Reunio

The year my girlfriend's family got into crisis, I broke up with her.

Later, she made a remarkable comeback and achieved great success. At a class reunion, she ran into me while I was delivering food.

People jeered, "Pei Yan, if you hadn't let go back then, half of the Su family's property would be yours now."

Su Yan sat among the crowd, her eyes cold. "Him? He doesn't deserve it."

Everyone knew that I had deserted her when she was at her most helpless.

People sighed with regret. "Pei Yan, you really should apologize to Su Yan." I just stared at her in silence.

No one knew that the capital for her comeback was at the cost of the rest of my life. It also got me a terminal illness notice.

I was supposed to finish my last delivery and go home to rest.

But when I stood outside the private room with the takeout, my feet seemed to be rooted to the ground.

Because the familiar voice inside belonged to the person I had once loved with all my heart. And also the person I had deeply hurt.

I squeezed the Black Swan cake in my hand. Just before it was about to be overdue, I pushed open the door.

There were all people I knew in the private room, but I could only lower the brim of my hat and pretend not to know them.

"Su Yan, I didn't expect you to come to the class reunion this year."

I heard that since I left, she, who had never liked attending class reunions, had come every year without fail. While I, who used to attend every year, had never shown up again.

"However, we haven't seen Pei Yan in these years."

Someone explained, "Don't you know? Pei Yan left Yanyan when she was at her most helpless."

"How dare he show up? Does he have the nerve?"

People clicked their tongues in disdain.

Su Yan didn't say anything. She sat in the crowd, and the dim light hid half of her face in the shadows. The other half was clearly visible, and her cold eyes revealed no emotion.

I never expected to reunite with Su Yan in such a situation.

I walked to the middle of the private room and asked in a low voice, "Excuse me, which one is Mr. Xu? This is the cake you ordered."

Xu Yang waved his hand. "Just put it there."

"Okay, I'll open the box and check it for you now."

I knelt down on one knee, opened the gift box, and carefully went through the process.

I tried my best to hold back my nervousness, fearing to be recognized. As a result, my voice and hands were trembling slightly.

The others were happily drinking beside me. Fortunately, no one paid attention to me.

But in this dim light, I always felt that there were some eyes on me.

Someone asked Su Yan, "Ms. Su, I heard you changed your boyfriend again. Why didn't you bring him today?"

Su Yan just smiled. "Don't worry. He'll be here soon."

Everyone was looking forward to seeing who her new boyfriend was, but I just wanted to get out of there quickly.

"It's already this late. I'm afraid Pei Yan still won't show up this year."

The class monitor said, "I sent him a message on WeChat, and it shows that he's read it."

Actually, everyone knew that Su Yan came to the class reunion not for the sake of the classmate friendship. She was waiting for me to show up, but I could only pretend not to know.

"I'll send him a video call and ask him. He replied to my message a few days ago."

When I heard what the class monitor said, I quickly packed up the gift box and got up to leave the scene.

But when I turned around, I accidentally bumped into the person behind me, and the wine spilled all over her and Su Yan beside her.

"What are you doing? You don't watch where you're going! You spilled wine all over me!"

Jiang Nan was very angry. Her white dress was soaked with red wine, looking very conspicuous.

And Su Yan's clothes also got a lot of stains. Although they were not obvious, the clothes looked extremely expensive.

I lowered my head and apologized hurriedly. "I'm so sorry. It was an accident just now."

"How much is your dress? I'll compensate you."

Jiang Nan said harshly, "My dress doesn't cost much, but can you afford to compensate for Su Yan's dress? You're just a lousy food delivery guy. Don't you know it's a high - end custom - made dress? How many deliveries do you have to make to pay for it?"

I didn't dare to look at Su Yan beside me. The price of that dress was really beyond my means at the moment.

I looked at Su Yan. "I'm sorry, miss. I'll find a way to pay for your dress. Please give me some time..."

She raised her eyes to look at me. I was wearing a hat and a mask, and she couldn't recognize me except for my eyes.

But she stared at me for a long time, as if her gaze could penetrate me. I quickly lowered my head.

"This isn't something you, a food delivery guy, can afford to compensate for. Don't tell me you'll write an IOU and then run away."

People burst into laughter.

I nervously clenched my palms. "Don't worry. I'll pay every cent I owe."

People laughed and said, "All the money on you probably can't even buy one of Su Yan's earrings."

"Forget about this dress. Let's call the police and send him to the police station so he'll pay up obediently."

I couldn't let them call the police. If they did, I would be exposed, and my mother was still waiting for me at home.

Just as I was nervous and trying to figure out how to get through this, my phone's video call ringtone rang. The class monitor exclaimed.

"Why does your ringtone sound the same as Pei Yan's?"

The class monitor looked at his phone and confirmed again and again that the ringtone was coming from me.

Everyone quickly turned their eyes on me, and I was recognized by everyone while standing in the crowd.

"It's actually you! Pei Yan, why are you delivering food?" Those surprised gazes pierced through me. Besides being shocked, some people started to sigh.

I stood there, clenching my palms tightly, feeling as if I had been stripped n***d, extremely embarrassed.

When she realized it was me, Su Yan immediately stood up and came over to me. She took off my hat with her own hands.

After confirming it was me, she sneered.

"So it's really you."

I didn't dare to look at her and could only shift my gaze away.

"Sorry, Ms. Su. I'll pay for your dress in full. Please tell me how much it is."

Some people started to tease. "Pei Yan, with your current financial situation, it will probably take you a long, long time to pay it off."

"If you hadn't given up on Yanyan back then, half of the Su family's company would be yours now."

"You wouldn't be delivering food here!"

Hearing this, Su Yan directly sneered.

"Him? He doesn't deserve it."

Her words were filled with hatred and mockery, severely shaming my decision to leave her back then.

Back then, Su Yan's family suffered a huge blow. The group was on the verge of bankruptcy, and her father was seriously ill.

Yet when she needed me the most, I broke up with her.

At that time, she had to bear all the pressure, not only from the company's shareholders but also from debt collectors outside. And when she got home, she had to take care of her father who was bedridden.

It was the time when she needed my support and comfort the most, but I cruelly abandoned her.

I couldn't imagine how desperate she must have felt at that time.

So, I knew very well how much she hated me.

I took out all the money in my pocket. "Sorry, Ms. Su. I only have this much for now."

"For the rest, I can write an IOU first. I'll pay it off completely."

She glanced at the crumpled money in my hand, smiled contemptuously, and then pointed at the wine on the table.

"Finish drinking all this wine, and this matter will be over."

I looked at the table full of wine and remembered the test results the doctor told me a few days ago.

"Probable advanced gastric cancer. Be cautious with smoking and drinking! The results of the puncture biopsy will be available in five working days. Remember to come and pick them up."

But at the moment, if I didn't drink, she might not let me go.